Locking means



J une21,1938. w. M. HAMON 2,121,230

' LOCKING MEANS Filed July 9. 1935 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKING MEANS Weslie M. Hamon Bell, Calif. Application July 9, 1935, Serial No. 30,513 11 Claims. (01. 294-8 6) This invention is a locking means particularly applicable as a jointfor well strings, and more particularly applicable to fishing tools.

It is an object of the invention to provide a vide a fishing tool embodying such a slip con- 15 struction, with the slips suspended from a tool string and adapted for reception in the bore of a wellstring which has been lostin a well, and with the slips adapted for relative longitudinal displacement so asto operatively engage and tightly bind in the bore of the fish.

It is a still further object of the invention to adapt the normally inoperative slips for rotation with the tool string in order that the slips may make threaded engagement with a usual thread- 25 ed box at the upper end of the fish, and at the will of the operator to rotate the tool string relative to the slips in the opposite direction to'that of their threaded engagement, with said reverse rotation relatively longitudinally displacing the 30 slips so' as to tightly bind and lock their threaded engagement, and withcontinued rotation of the tool string in said reverse direction then rotating the locked slips in the same reverse direction and thereby similarly reversely rotating the 35 fish which is suspended from the threadedbox in which the slips are locked. A length of the fish may'thus be backed ofi at one of its lower threaded joints, and the released section of the fish may then be withdrawn and the operation 40 repeated until the entire length of the lost well string has been recovered. o M

Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawing; in which:

45 Fig. l is a side elevation of a fishing tool embodying the invention, partly in axial section and showing its slips received within a threaded box from their supporting mandrel and shown partly' in axial section.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

The locking means is illustrated embodied in a fishing tool, in which embodiment the invention includes a mandrel I suspended from a casing 2 which may be in turn suspended by a sub 3 from a usual tool string 4, with cooperating slips 5-43 mounted on the lower end of the man- 6 drel and adapted for reception in the bore of a fish, preferablyin a usual tapering threaded box 6 at the upper end of the fish.

Means are provided whereby the slips may be rotated with the tool string 4 for screwing the cooperating slips into the threaded box of the fish, and at the will of the operator the tool string may then be turned in the opposite direction without unscrewing the slips from the box, with said reverse rotation of the tool string relatively longitudinally displacing the cooperating slips so as to bind and lock them in the threaded box. Bycontinued reverse rotationof thetool string 4 the fish may thus be backed ofi at one of its lower threaded joints and the disconnected length of the fish maythus be recovered from the well.

As an instance of this arrangement the slips 55 comprise cooperating arcuate slips adapted for assembly so as to define a diametrically split annulus having a tapered lower end corresponding to the taper of box 6 and adapted to be secured in said box, as for example by threading the lower ends of the slips as shown at 8, whereby the slips when operatively assembled in normal transverse alinement provide a continuous thread which is adapted to be screwed into the box 6. The cooperating slips define a bore 9-4 which-opens into an enlarged bore Ill-Ill and from the bore Ill-4!) a restricted bore ll-l l preferably opens through the lower ends of the slips. The mandrel l upon which the slips are mounted has a cylindrical lower end l received in the bore 99* and terminating in a cylindrical enlargement H! which is received in the .enlarged bore lll- -lll The lower ends ofthe slips may have a dovetail engagement l3---l3 guiding their relative longitudinal displacement, and when the tool is assembled the casing 2 telescopes over the upper ends I l-44 of the assembled slips so as to cooperate with the dovetail engagement I 3---l3 for preventing relative radial displacement of the slips. The slips are thus held against longitudinal displacement from the mandrel lby the enlargement I2 which is received in bore Iii-I, but the cooperating slips are adapted for free rotation on the mandrel.

The mandrel I is adapted for rotation with the casing 2 while permitting relative longitudinal displacement of these elements so as to provide a telescopic engagement; and for this purpose the mandrel has an intermediate non-circular portion I5 which is adapted for sliding reception in a corresponding non-circular bore I6 01' the casing 2. The telescopic engagement between the mandrel and the casing is normally yieldably contracted as shown at Fig. 1, but is adapted for expansion responsive to strain exerted on the casing 2 While the slips 55 are secured in the threaded box 6. A spring I'I normally contracts the telescopic engagement; and for this purpose a sleeve I8 may be threaded onto the upper end of the mandrel which projects into an enlarged bore I9 of the casing 2, with the spring H, which is a coil spring, encircling the sleeve and received in the bore I9 with the ends of the spring respectively engaging an abutment shoulderZOof the bore I9 and an abutment shoulder 2| of the sleeve I8.

;When the telescopic engagement is contracted the slips 5-5 are adapted for rotation with the casing 2, and when the telescopic engagement is expanded against the tension of spring H the casing 2 is free to rotate relative to the slips. As an instance of this arrangement a flange 23 is provided on the slips above their lower threaded ends, and this flange is longitudinally recessed .as shown at 24, with these recesses adapted to receive cooperating lugs 25 at the lower end of the casing 2 when the telescopic engagement between thecasing and the mandrel is contracted. The cooperating abutments 2425 thus cause the slips to -normally rotate with the casing, but by retracting the casing relative to the mandrel the lugs 25 are withdrawn from the recesses 24 so that the casing 2 may be freely turned relative to the slips as shown at Fig. 2.

The casing is rotated relative to the slipsln the opposite direction to that of the threaded engagement between the slips and the box 6, and this relative rotation of the casing is adapted to relatively longitudinally displace the slips so as to tightly bind and lock the threaded engagement which they make with the box. As an instance of this arrangement, one of the slips, shown as the slip 5, has a flat abutment surface 30 at its upper end, while the upper end of the other slips 5 formsa cam abutment surface 3I and the bore of casing 2 in which the upper ends of the slips are journaled, forms an abutment surface which cooperates with the abutment surfaces 30--3I, and which throughout one-half of its circumference is a flat abutment surface 32, while throughout the other half of its circumference it forms a cam abutment surface 33.

When the tool is in normal position with the spring I I retracting the mandrel I within the casing 2, the abutment surfaces 3ll32 and 3I 33 longitudinally aline and engage as shown at Fig. 1, and the slips 5-5 are then transversely alined so that their thread 8 is a continuous thread adapted to be screwed into the box 6 when the slips are initially turned with the casing responsive to the engagement of abutments 24-25, the direction of rotation being shown at arrow A. When the telescopic engagement between the casing and the mandrel is then expanded by elevating the casing relative to the slips which are held against both longitudinal and rotary displacement. by their threaded-engagement in box 6, the cooperating abutments 2425 are disengaged, and by turning the casing 2 in the opposite direction, as indicated by arrow B, the cam surface 33 rides along the cam surface 3I so as to longitudinally displace the slip 5 relative to the slip 5 as shown at Fig. 2. The threads 8 of the slips are thus moved slightly out of alinement so as to wedge and tightly bind the tapering threaded engagement between the slips and the threaded box 6. The slips are thus locked against unscrewing from the box 6 with this locking engagement tightened the more the casing 2 is reversely rotated, and when the locking engagement has been tightened so that the slips can be no further relatively longitudinally displaced, the reverse rotation of casing 2 binds the cooperating cam surfaces 3I33 against one another. Continued reverse rotation of the casing thereby turns the slips with the casing, with the slips still tightly locked in the box 6. The box 6 and the lost well string which is suspended therefrom are thus rotated in the direction of arrow B for unscrewing the fish at one of its lower threaded joints which are all threaded in the same direction as that of its upper threaded box 6.

In order to permit the necessary relative longitudinal displacement of the slips when making the locking connection, the bore III of slip 5 is preferably slightly longer than the cooperating enlargement I2 of the mandrel, while the bore II) of slip 5 is of a length to snugly receive the enlargement I2; and in order to normally transversely aline the cooperating slips irrespective of this provision for slight longitudinal play of the slip 5 on the enlargement I2, a spring 35 may be mounted in a bore which is formed by cooperating recesses 36-46 in the meeting faces of slips 55*. The ends of the spring normally engage abutment shoulders formed by the ends of the recesses 36----3(i as shown at Fig. 5, but when the slip 5 is longitudinally displaced relative to the slip 5 the spring 35 is compressed between the lower abutment shoulder of recess 36 and the upper abutment shoulder of recess 36* so as to permit relative longitudinal movement of the slips. The tension of the compressed spring then returns the slips to their normal transversely alined position as shown at Figs. 1 and 5, when the stress exerted at the cooperating cam surfaces 3I33 is relieved by turning the casing 2 1 back to its normal position .as shown at Fig. l.

The tool string 4 from which the casing 2 is suspended provides for turning the casing so as to engage or release the locking means, and for this purpose the sub 3 is threaded into the upper end of the casing 2 as shown at 40, and the sub 3 is in turn suspended from the tool string 4 by a threaded connection 4|. The threaded connections 40 and M, as Well as all of the threaded connections along the length of the tool string 4, are threaded in the opposite direction to that of the box 6 and the other threaded joints of the fish. In other words, when fishing for a lost well string which has right-hand threads, slips 5-5 are employed which have a right-hand thread, but the fishing tool is suspended from a tool string 4 which has left-hand threads. Conversely if the lost well string has left-hand thread joints, the slips which are employed have a lefthand thread and are run in on a tool string which has right-hand threads.

Circulation is preferably provided through the locking connection, and for this purpose the mandrel I may have a bore 45 opening therethrough with a wash pipe 46 projecting upwardly from the mandrel and threaded into the :end of the bore. A wash pipe 41 is also suspended from the enlargement l2 at thelower end of. the mandrel and is threaded into the lower end of the bore 45 and is received in the restricted bore Ill l which is formed by the assembled slips. The wash pipe 46 extends through a bore 48 in the sub 3 so as to communicate with the bore .of the tool string l, and the wash pipe may be packed off relative to the sub 3 by a usual packing gland 49. The wash pipe 41 projects below the cooperating s1ips 5,-5 and opens into the bore of the threaded box 6 for communication with the bore of the lost well string.

In operation, if a well string has been lost in a well the fishing tool is run in on atool string ll, and with the lugs 25 seated in recesses 24the tool string is rotated in the direction of arrow A so as to screw the slips 5-5=* into the box 6 at the upper end of the fish as shown at Fig. 1. When threaded connection has been made the tool string l is elevated so as to disengage the lugs 25 from the recesses 24, and the tool string 4 is then rotated in the opposite direction as shown by arrow B, thereby locking the threaded connection between the slips and the box 6. Continued reverse rotation of the tool string thus breaks some one of the threaded joints of the fish below its upper box 6, whereupon the tool string and the disconnected length of the fish which is suspended from the tool string, may be Withdrawn from the Welland the operation then repeated until the entire fish has been recovered.

After the locking connection has been made it may be released at any time by turning the tool string in the direction of arrow A, thereby relieving the stress exerted against the slip 5 at the cooperating cam surfaces 3 I33, so that the slips are again transversely alined by the spring 35, and the lugs 25 of the casing 2 may then be reenga'ged with the recesses 24 to permit the slips being rotated with the tool string in the direction to unscrew the slips from the box 6.

The invention thus provides. a locking connection particularly adapted for embodiment in a fishing tool but applicablewherever such a locking connection is desired between lengths of a well string or the like, with the locking connection made by relatively longitudinally displacing cooperating slips so as to tightly bind them in a cooperating socket, and the slips adapted for relative longitudinal displacement by relative rotation of that portion of a well string or the like from which the slips are suspended, and with said portion of the well string adapted to rotate the slips with said portion of the string or to turn said portion of the string relative to the slips at the will of the operator.

While the invention has been illustrated with slips having threaded engagement with a complemental threaded socket, with relative longitudinal displacement of the slips binding and looking the threaded engagement, the invention contemplates engagement between the slips and socket locked by relative longitudinal displacement of the slips, without limitation of said locking engagement being a threaded engagement, but with the invention of a scope as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a support, slips journaled on the support, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slips with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slips, and means operableresponsive to rotation of the support relative to the slips for relatively longitudinally displacing the slips, the slips hav-- ing surfaces adapted for binding engagement in a cooperating socket responsive to their relative longitudinal displacement.

2. In combination, a support, a mandrel suspended from the support, slips journaled on the mandrel and adapted for limited relative longitudinal displacement, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slips for longitudinally displacing the slips relative to one another, said relative longitudinal displacement of the slips operatively positioning the slips.

3. In combination, asupport, a mandrel suspended from the support, slips journaled on the mandrel and adapted for limited relative longitudinal displacement, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slips with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slips, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slips for relatively longitudinally displacing the slips, the slips having surfaces adapted for binding engagement in a cooperating socket responsive to their relative longitudinal displacement.

4. In combination, a support, slips journaled on the support, one of the slips being fixed against longitudinal displacement relative to the support, another of the slips being adapted for limited longitudinal displacement on the support, and cooperating cams on the support and on the second mentioned slip adapted for engagement responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slips for longitudinally displacing the second mentioned slip relative to the first mentioned slip, said relative longitudinal displacement operatively positioning the slips.

5. In combination, a support, slips journaled on the support, one of the slips being fixed against longitudinal displacement relative to the support, another of the slips being adapted for limited longitudinal displacement on the support, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slips with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slips, and cooperating cams on the support and on the second mentioned slip adapted for engagement responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slips for longitudinally displacing the second mentioned slip relative to the first mentioned slip, said relative longitudinal displacement of the slips operatively positioning said slips.

6. In combination, a support, a slip journaled on the sup-port, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slip with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slip, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slip for longitudinally displacing the slip, said longitudinal displacement of the slip operatively positioning the slip.

7. In combination, a support, a slip journaled on the support, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slip with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slip, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slip for longitudinally displacing the slip, the slip having a surface providing a locking engagement responsive to said longitudinal displacement of the slip.

8. In combination, a support, a slip journaled on the support, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slip with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slip, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slip for longitudinally displacing the slip, the slip having a surface adapted for binding engagement in a cooperating socket responsive to said longitudinal displacement of the slip.

9. In combination, a support, slips carried by the support, means for yieldingly transversely alining the slips, the slips when transversely alined being in non-binding relation with a cooperating element, at least one of the slips being journaled on the support, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to said one of the slips for longitudinally displacing the slips relative to one another, said relative longitudinal displacement of the slips positioning the same for binding engagement with said cooperating element.

10. In combination, a support, slips carried by the support, the slips having threads which when the slips are transversely alined are adapted for threaded engagement with a thread of a cooperating element, at least one of the slips being journaled on the support, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to said one of the slips for relatively longitudinally displacing the slips for binding engagement of their threads with the thread of the cooperating element.

11. In combination, a support, a slip journaled on the support, the slip having a thread adapted for threaded engagement with a thread of a cooperating element, a driving connection operable for selectively rotating the slip with the support or permitting the support to rotate relative to the slip, and means operable responsive to rotation of the support relative to the slip for longitudinally displacing the slip for binding engagement of its thread with the thread of the cooperating element.

WESLIE M. HAMON. 

